


Please Don't Blow Up

by crazyfangirl221b



Series: A Universe Made of Stars [3]
Category: Supergirl (Comics), Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Gen, Krypton, Origin Story, it blows up
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2017-03-27
Packaged: 2018-08-27 11:43:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8400361
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyfangirl221b/pseuds/crazyfangirl221b
Summary: Her planet blew up, her baby cousin is older than her, they're both stranded on an alien planet (that he calls home?), and that's not even the strangest part.





	1. Prologue

Fuel. Apparently it was one of the resources universally fought over. And again, it seemed that it was also one of those things people couldn’t stop using, even if they burned the very world.

 

_“We have been mining the core for three generations, Jor-El. It’s perfectly safe.” Kara watched as the High Council dismissed the results of yet another survey._

_“If they would just read the original proposition they would realize it was supposed to be a temporary measure!” The grown-ups sat around the dinner table while Kara was supposed to be playing in her room. She couldn’t tell who was speaking, just that they were upset._

_Kara’s parents always told her that they were fighting for a better world for her and her children, but lately they had begun to look to the stars rather than the Council._


	2. Home Sweet Boom!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mostly world-(un)building. This is where things blow up. People die. Good luck.

Kara stood in line at the Energy Dispensary, clutching her book of ration stamps. She shifted her feet and leaned on her staff, waiting an hour and only just to the door. Cabrium-90 had been in short supply since before she was born, but it had never been this bad. She lifted her identification crystal to the scanner for entrance, unperturbed by the armed guards that flanked it. It took her another hour to reach the desk to receive the fuel.

“Name and household,” The receptionist said in a bored monotone.

“Kara of Zor-El and In-Ze” Kara said as she handed over her ID crystal for inspection.

“You’re approved,” The receptionist said, “But you have to leave that here.” Kara checked her staff with them and they pressed a button on their desk and Kara was waved through the next guarded door.

Kara had her ID crystal scanned twice more before she finally got her weekly Cabrium-90 ration. A three hour walk to the Dispensary, a two hour wait, and now she has to walk home. Oh, and there’s another riot.

“I’m sorry. We are out of Cabrium-90 for today.” The receptionist was trying to deescalate the situation. And failing. Miserably.

Kara was glad she wore her cape as she shifted so her bag was hidden. With well-practiced stealth she slipped through the crowd. If she was lucky no one would notice she was carrying anything.

She made it through the riot without trouble; thank Rao for small miracles, but her luck didn’t last long. She made it about a mile before running into a group of thieves. There were five of them big, but lean. Likely they hadn’t been eating much, food prices were at an all-time high. Little fuel means little transport, and demand plus scarcity means cost.

“Just give us the bag,” said the man who looked like the leader.

“I need this too.” Kara slipped into a fighting stance and raised her staff.

“The dispensary is out.” The thieves were branching out, surrounding her.

“Is that supposed to make me had this over?” Kara turned so that her back was toward the nearest wall. “You’re not very good at negotiating.” Out of the corner of her eye she saw one of them rush toward her.

She swung her staff and connected with his abdomen. Her blow knocked the air out of his lungs and him to the ground. Two of the others charged her while they thought her back was turned. Kara jammed her staff backwards hitting the first in the groin. Then spun around and used her momentum to hit the second in the jaw. The first doubled over in pain and the second fell, unconscious. Unfortunately by this time, her other two attackers had worked out the needed to separate her from her weapon. One of them came up behind her and grabbed the staff, trapping her. She surged forward to throw him off balance, then sharply backwards, head-butting him in the nose. He released his grip allowing her to escape and trip the last would-be thief. Leaving them before they could recover, she ran off as fast as she could.

It was almost four blocks before she stopped. Ducking into the ruins of an old building, she took a moment to catch her breath, make sure she wasn’t followed, and check that the Cabrium-90 wasn’t damaged. Sighing, she set off again. Hopefully the remainder of her day would be les eventful.

 

“… untested landing system, incomplete modeling, and NO ONE TO CARE FOR HIM!” Kara heard her father arguing with her uncle as she walked through the door.

“Got the ration,” she said by way of greeting. “What’re they up to now?”

“Your uncle sent Kal off this morning.” Alura replied.

Kara nearly dropped her bag. “He sent a baby off into space with an untested landing system, on a trajectory with incomplete modeling, and no one to look after him _if_ he lands!”

He mother nodded. “That’s almost exactly what your father just finished saying.” Alura bit her lip and wouldn’t meet her daughter’s eyes.

“What aren’t you telling me?” Kara asked.

“Jor-El stole almost a quarter of the fuel we had saved.” Alura watched as Kara just stood there in shock. “And it gets worse. The reason he did this is because the planet has destabilized.”

“You don’t mean?” Kara sat down on the couch.

“Yes.” Alura sat beside her. “Krypton will implode in less than a moth. We can only complete one ship in that time and your father and I have agreed it will be yours.”

“Mother, no!” Kara could feel her heart breaking as she grabbed her mother’s hand. “I don’t want to leave you.”

“Kal-El will need someone to protect him, Kara,” Her mother said gently. “You can handle yourself; you’ve been picking up the Cabrium-90 for over a year.”

“But on another planet?” Kara protested. “How would I get food? How will I even know what’s edible?”

“Kal has been sent to an inhabited planet,” Alura reassured her. “The dominate species is similar to Kryptonian biology, so you can eat what they eat.”

“’Similar enough?’” Kara’s heart filled with dread. “They sent him to the yellow sun world?”

“Jor-El determined that it was your best chance of survival,” Alura answered somberly.

“What about the ‘incalculable variables’ you guys kept going on about?” Kara asked beginning to hyperventilate. “And didn’t Father say that the reduced gravity would give us brittle bones? And what about the atmosphere?”

“Kara, calm down,” Her mother said. “The latest data seems to indicate that the increased solar energy should counter effect the reduction in gravity.”

“’Should’?” Kara all but whispered. “Is that how bad things are? Uncle Jor and Aunt Lara sent their baby into space with just a ‘should be okay, hope he doesn’t die’?”

Her mother’s silence was all the answer Kara needed. “I’m going to my room, unless the planet explodes before I get there.”

 

The planet did not in fact explode and Kara stayed in her room for hours, looking out the window and trying to memorize the sky. It was after dark, with the stars spanning as far as she could see, when she heard a knock on her door.

“Enter,” She said turning as her father walked.

“Your mother said she talked to you?” He looked like he had all but lost hope and Kara didn’t feel much better.

“We only have enough time to finish one ship, we won’t have enough fuel for it to make the trip, and Kal-El has already left.” Kara affirmed. “So we’re pretty much doomed.”

“Actually, I may have found a solution for that second one.” Zor-El tried to grin, but it just felt like he was trying to cheer Kara up.

“One out of three’s not the worst thing in the world,” She replied faking optimism even less convincingly. “What’s your idea?”

“Eliminate the lift-off. No, hear me out,” He said to her obvious disbelief. “The planet is kaput. So if the ship is strong enough to catch a ride on the destruction, it will only need about two-thirds of the fuel.”

Kara nodded. “But we don’t know when exactly the implosion will start.”

“But we _will_ have about a half-day’s warning.” He said with genuine excitement now. “That should be enough to get you in and set for the flight.”

“It _could_ work,” Kara said beginning to grin. “We’d need to save every scrap of fuel we can get our hands on.”

Her father nodded excitedly, “Jor and Lara have already agreed to give us half their ration. We can be ready in two weeks.”

“And all I’ve got to do is figure out how to survive stranded on an alien planet.” Kara shrugged. “Two weeks is plenty of time.”

Zor-El laughed as he left her room. “That’s my girl.”

 

True to his word, two weeks later the ship was ready, unfortunately so was the planet. They had a garden growing on their roof, to offset the food shortages. Kara was picking fruit for lunch when she saw a yellow-green beam of light on the horizon. She stood up to get a better look stepping closer toward the edge. She heard a sound like distant thunder. A dust-filled breeze blew suddenly from behind her. She turned and for a moment she thought that her neighborhood had turned into a dark lake. Uncomprehending, she tried to get a better look. Then she heard her father shouting.

“It’s now!” Zor-El screamed as he burst through the hatch behind the berry bushes. “The planet is—” He stopped when he saw the hole. “Great Rao,” he breathed. “Quickly, you must get into the ship.”

Kara turned to face him in shock. “But we were supposed to have half a day’s warning!”

“I know,” he said as they rushed down the stairs to the laboratory. “Something happened to Kandor.”

Kara stopped. “What about Mom?”

Her father didn’t meet her eyes. “She was in the capitol and she’s not answering her vid-pod.”

He tugged her hand to get her moving again. Kara just felt numb. Her mother died and she didn’t get a change to say good-bye. Her father would be dead soon. They reached the laboratory and he went to the controls. Kara impulsively pulled him into the tightest hug she could and he wrapped his arms around her as well.

They stood like that for an eternity, and it wasn’t nearly long enough. Kara rushed into the space pod and secured the door. Zor-El hit the button that would open the portal to the Phantom Zone. Space and time warped around them. Kara sat safe in her pod, but her father and her home warped as well. The ground beneath her was shaking as her home collapsed in on itself. Her father was screaming in pain as he was pulled apart by the forces saving her life. All Kara could do was watch it all from the safest place on Krypton.

 

They say in space no one can hear you scream, but as Kara flew through the stars she wondered if she would ever stop hearing that scream. She reached to wipe the tears from her eyes, only to realize she was holding something in her hand. She stared at it stunned, the fruit she picked for lunch. Apparently, in all the hustle she had forgotten to set it down. A thought struck her; maybe it could be Kal-El’s lunch when she found him. She caught herself jerking with either laughter or sobs, she couldn’t tell which. As she flew she felt no hunger, so the fruit sat in her lap all the way to Earth.


	3. Crash Landing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara Zor-El crash lands on an alien planet and meets an Earthling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Update: November 27, 2016

There are moments that feel like an eternity, and eternities that seem to pass in a moment. Kara didn’t know which could best describe her flight, but it was over all too quickly and not nearly soon enough. The Phantom Zone stretched around her, an infinity devoid even of stars. She floated amid the rubble of her home and a few bloody bits of flesh to serve as a gruesome reminder that she could never return.

After it was first discovered, the Phantom Zone was described as a black hole without gravity. Kara had never understood the illustration before now. Time could not pass, at least not in any recognizable manner, and she felt weightless, empty, alone.

Kara mourned her planet, her family, her home, but mourning must give way to action eventually. She became aware of the engines whining, impossible to tell how long for, whether decades, centuries, or seconds. She touched the crystal to receive the error message.

There was an error in the part of the engine that would open the exit to the Phantom Zone. The ship was designed with two ways to access that part of the engine. The “easy way” was to just open the hood, which currently involved climbing out of the ship into the Phantom Zone. The other way was to unscrew the navigation panel, crawl through the tangle of wires and sharp instruments, and reach through the engine itself to fix whatever had gone wrong. Kara decided to risk electrocution rather than leave the ship. Pulling out the small screwdriver from the on-board toolkit she began her task.

Kara eased her way into the crawlspace headfirst, keeping an eye out for anything out of the usual. Well, her new usual, as she wasn’t normally stuck in an interdimensional prison. She looked toward the fuel cells and instead of the Cabrium-90 she saw some sort of green rock, glowing faintly in the gloom. She reached toward it, but when she touched it she screamed in pain and jerked her hand away. It felt like putting her hand in a fire, but without the warning warmth of the flame.

Nothing else looked amiss, so Kara set about trying to figure out how to move the green rock. She looked at the fruit in her hand. She grinned. Taking careful aim in her awkward position, she threw the fruit at the rock with all the force she could muster. This may not have been her brightest idea. Her aim was true and the rock shattered at the impact. So did the engine wall. And then the engine. At least it managed to get her out of the Phantom Zone.

She screamed as her ship hurtled towards the green and blue planet below. The flames from re-entry burned outside her ship. The flames from the explosions burned inside her ship. Oddly enough, the fires didn’t seem to be enough to burn her. She stopped screaming.

Then Kara noticed the ground rushing up to meet her at a truly horrifying speed. She pressed herself against the back of her seat and started screaming again. Her arms splayed out in front of her in a panic and the only thought in her head was to not hit the ground. She braced herself as best as she could, held her breath, and waited for the impact to come.

Then it didn’t. She opened her eyes. About five feet in front of her was water, nothing appeared to be holding her in the air. She stared at it all in wonder: the way the waves danced with the moonlight, the way the fish swam peacefully deep below, and the way the sea weed swayed with the current. She hung in the air, hypnotized by the alien planet she found herself on, until movement in her peripheral vision caused her to turn her head.

A giant black machine was slicing through the air towards her at an alarming rate. She gasped and whatever had been holding her up stopped holding. Inky black water poured into the remains of her ship and Kara kicked and pushed at the wreckage to free herself. The metal walls were made to shield against the worst of the Phantom Zone but now they crumbled at her touch.

Once free, she looked towards the surface. The machine had stopped almost directly above her and some kind of creature was inside it. Kara didn’t know how she could see clearly through twenty feet of water and the machine but if she could see him then he could see her. She started to swim and within a few strokes found herself halfway up on some kind of beach. She blinked and looked over her shoulder; the machine was hovering almost two hundred yards away. If she squinted she could see him as clear as if he were standing right next to her. He was staring right at her, as if he could see into her soul. Kara yelped and fell backwards, stopping half way down for no discernable reason but that gravity decided to give up on her descent. She screamed for the fourth time that day. Unfortunately, that did nothing to turn the creature’s attention elsewhere.

The strange machine flew towards her and she tried to run. She made it almost three strides before gravity gave up on her again and she shot upward. She flew past the top of a building and she tried to grab onto a ledge only for it to come off in her hand, her fingers denting the concrete. Kara felt like crying and her eyes burned with tears. And lasers, apparently. The beams scorched the street below and Kara covered her eyes and curled into a small ball of misery.

The strange creature in his strange machine found her there, over forty feet above the ground. He maneuvered his machine beneath her and Kara saw that it was a plane. She looked harder at him and she saw through his mask, he was just a man, not a monster and he looked… concerned. He pulled a green rock from his pocket and said something in a language she did not understand. Kara felt tired, her head started to hurt, and she got a little nauseous. Gravity began to work again and she sank slowly into the plane, drifting off in a well-deserved rest.


	4. Caves and Cousins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara wakes up in a strange place and meets strange people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated December 27, 2016

Kara woke up but she kept her eyes closed, thinking it better to take stock of her situation before whoever-it-was knew she was awake. She was lying on soft sheets and she could feel a warm light on her skin. There was something on her wrist that felt like some kind of bracelet, cool and metal. She couldn’t hear much, just a rhythmic click-clack and the high pitched chatter of some kind of animal.

Then Kara took a deep breath and opened her eyes. She found herself staring into a bright light, as red and as blinding as the sun. She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, then looked around. She found herself in what appeared to be a large building carved from stone. Around her were machines that she only recognized as medical by the instruments and bandages around them. A little farther away were vehicles that appeared to be secured in specially designed docks. Above her was the man who made the clickity- clacking, she squinted at him and recognized her rescuer.

Kara moved to get up and found that her bracelet was tethered to her bunk, a very convenient way to keep her from floating off in her sleep. She easily slipped her hand out and stepped out of the glow of the lamp. Almost immediately the chatter chatter of the creatures in the cave grew to unbearable levels, and, where she had just had difficulty seeing less than fifteen feet away, she could now see every individual fur on the strange animals making the sound. Kara jumped back into the welcoming glow of the sun lamp, almost tripping over the bed. Her heart pounding she looked frantically around the med bay for some kind of reason for her reaction. Finding none, she vowed to stay in the comforting circle of artificial sunlight. Her patience lasted just long enough for her to see just how small that circle was. Fortunately for her the lamp didn't appear to be attached to anything and she was able to carry it without much effort. Noticing a set of stairs to her left, she set off to try to talk to her host.

She made it up four and a half stairs without incident. Kara counted the final stair as a half because she got one foot on it before she fell off the spiral staircase. Checking to make sure her lamp was intact she stood and checked herself for injuries. Finding none, she turned to attempt the stairs again. However, this happened to be the precise moment that her host decided to materialize behind her in a terribly rude manner. Kara ran directly into him and fell again, at least this time she had something to blame besides gravity.

“If you could understand me I'd call you rude.” Kara said with a pout. “On my planet it's not considered polite to sneak up on people.”

He had a faint air of bafflement about him, though he didn't let it show, and he spoke with a quiet, deep voice in a language she did not understand.

Kara sighed. “Look, I have a crystal in my ship that's programmed to decipher whatever language that is, so why don't we just go get that.”

The man looked at her like she was from another planet. Which she was but it's still rude of him to do. He spoke again, this time to someone behind her.

Kara turned to see a man, the look of worry on his face was almost enough to distract from the ridiculousness of his outfit. It looked like something someone in the Military Guild would wear underneath their armor, then he was wearing the cape and crest combo favored by the Political Guild. The effect was very confusing and it took Kara almost a minute to realize the two of them were having an argument.

Then the Kryptonian spoke to her. “Greetings and Salutations, to one who is a stranger to me. My name is Kal-El and I am of the great house of El. My parents are Jor-El and Lara.”

“So, I'll just hazard a guess: you're not entirely fluent?” The man’s features changed to a mix of confusion and mild panic. Kara sighed, “Greetings and Salutations to you, also. I am Kara Zor-El,” here Kara paused as the meaning behind his ridiculous greeting set in. She swallowed, “I think I'm your cousin.”

Kal’s face split into a huge grin and he started talking really fast in the other language. Then he seemed to realize that she couldn't understand him and he spoke in Kryptonian. “I have become joyous with the news of your existence and I wish to speak to you at length."

Kara grit her teeth as the realization set in that she was over two decades late. Her baby cousin had grown up not knowing of Krypton but living alone among aliens. Kara tried to put her feelings aside and vowed to teach him, starting with the language. “Kal, I need some crystals from my ship so that I may learn your language.”

Kara figured that the mechanics of telepathic interfacing would have to be discussed another time. Kal nodded and flew upward. Kara sighed and started towards the stairs. By the time she reached them however, he had brought the entire ship down to her. Kara fell down again, gravity is a lot trickier to get the hang of when you're busy being shocked with fantastic feats of strength.

Kara picked herself up as the men started arguing. She rummaged through her store of crystals for an unbroken translator, the first she found was heavily cracked, the second shattered beyond repair. Worried she dug deeper and, thank Rao, a single whole translation crystal. She turned her attention back to her cousin and, without bothering to warn him, tapped the crystal to his forehead.

“...can't just abandon her!” Kal said passionately.

“Abandon who?” Kara asked in the new language.

“You!” Kal turned to her. “Wait, you speak English?”

“Well now I do,” Kara explained, “The crystal picked it up from you, and as long as I hold it, it transmits the knowledge to me.”

“That sounds like a very handy crystal.” A woman's voice came from the staircase and Kara turned to see the new arrival.

She was tall, wearing armor of red and blue accented in gold. Her bracelets crown gleamed in the low light and the red gem seemed to glow.

“Diana, what are you doing here?” Kal asked.

“I invited her,” said the man who looked like a shadow. “She can train the girl.”

“Kara is family!” Kal interjected. “I'll train her!”

As the men argued, Diana walked over to Kara. “You need training in your new powers.”

“I don't have any powers.” Kara whispered.

“All Kryptonians have powers under the yellow sun.” Diana told her.

“I don't want to.”

Diana smiled, “I've found that those who seek power often do so with very selfish motives. Those who are given power can do the most good.”

Kara thought it over, took a deep breath, and turned off the red sun lamp.


	5. Fortress and Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara learns about her powers and travels to the Fortress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update January 27, 2017

The first thing she noticed was the noise. Kara fell to her knees with a sound like a thousand starships taking off. Her breath whooshed out of her lungs with the force of a gale wind, seconds that sounded like taking a stethoscope to a hurricane. Catching herself with her hand she stared at the floor and found she could see the individual microorganisms. Falling back with a startled yelp she wind milled her arms, crashing into everything in reach and sending the woman beside her staggering back a few steps.

 

Kara felt her eyes burn like they had earlier and covered her face in time for the heat to burn only her hands. She did not close her eyes this time, focusing instead the muscles of her eyes and how they tensed and focused to create the beams. Kara’s hands disappeared from her vision, as did the floor below her, all the way down to a room lined in lead. Kara gritted her teeth and by force of her will, the heat stopped and she focused on only what was in front of her.

 

Kara realized her cousin had moved to her side and was saying something. She closed her eyes to focus on hearing only his voice, inches from her ear and at a deafening whisper.

 

“…under the lamp?” Kal asked in the same tone of voice his father had used when asking her if it was okay for Aunt Lara and him to move in with her family.

 

Patronizing and the best possible way to get under her skin.

 

Kara realized they were floating and she willed herself to _fly_.

 

Then found herself crashing on the ground, leaving dents as she landed.

 

“Are you alright?” Kal asked, concern clouding his features.

 

Kara took a very carefully controlled breath, got her frustration in check the best she could and answered. “I’ve had a very trying day.”

 

“Perhaps we could go outside?” Diana suggested, and the pointy-eared shadow behind her nodded.

 

Kal moved to help her up, but Kara deliberately took Diana’s arm instead as they flew out through a very confusing set of tunnels.

 

Outside was not as comforting as her guides may have hoped. The night was one thing, with the sky an expanse of stars and an odd-looking single moon, only marred by the bizarre, energy-wasting lights of the city. The day however, was all wrong. The familiar orange of the sky warped into a blue-ish monstrosity. The sun was too warm, too yellow, too bright, and too small for Kara’s taste. The overall feeling was similar to the one provoked by nails on a chalkboard, and it didn’t help that she kept inexplicably expecting to fall.

 

“…her the Fortress!” Kal finished saying excitedly. Kara really had to start paying attention when he talked.

 

“Fortress?” Kara looked at the others for help.

 

“The Fortress of Solitude,” Diana explained. “It’s like his headquarters.”

 

“So my cousin can’t wait to show me his clubhouse?” Kara rolled her eyes. “How absolutely wonderful,” she muttered sarcastically.

 

Diana was too busy laughing to answer.

 

 

The Fortress was in the middle of the wilderness, as it turned out. Standing larger than any building Krypton had been able to maintain in decades. Kara had grown up around their ruins though, and she had seen the holo-images of their heyday. This structure however, had none of the markings to suggest whether it was a library or a market, a house or a museum. Kara turned to ask her cousin why, but he was already talking again.

 

“Batman says he’s already inside,” Kal was whining, “How! I know I can go faster than his Bat-jet.”

 

“Perhaps it is because we are not flying at our fastest?” Diana suggested diplomatically. “Or he could have a zeta beam in the Batcave?”

 

“I don’t see how he could have one and not tell anybody!” Turing to look at Diana, Kal almost ran into a goose.

 

“Look!” Kara said pointing to the confusing building ahead.

 

“Fortress sweet Fortress,” Kal said cryptically and grinned. “There’s no place like home.”

 

“Am I supposed to understand that?” Kara whispered to Diana.

 

“I think it’s just a saying,” Diana whispered back, “or a movie quote.”

 

“What?” Kara asked, or tried to, but she was interrupted by a sudden trip through an icy underground river.

 

“WHAT?” Kara asked dripping icewater onto the floor of the enclave.

 

“Security measures…” Kal answered sheepishly, trailing off when Batman entered.

 

“Took you long enough,” he growled.

 

“ _How_ ” Kal mouthed at Diana, who just shrugged.

 

“The tour?” Kara prompted, and they motioned her in.

 

Kara’s first impression was that the entrance had been decorated by a tornado, then everything set up right and left where it lay. Tapestries were only from courthouses, statues only found in family meeting halls, and little exhibits hinted at museum. She looked at the junk he had chosen to memorialize: an antique communicator, a child’s toy, some kind of specialized cooking implement. Kara turned to look at Kal.

 

He was standing off to the side, all nervous and hopeful. “What do you think?” he asked her, and she could hear the raw hope shining through his question.

 

“It’s very … Kryptonian,” Kara answered, whishing she had inherited more of her mother’s diplomatic prowess.

 

Kal’s shoulders slumped. “What’s wrong with it?” he asked dejectedly

 

Kara considered her answer. “You don’t actually know what any of this means, do you?”

 

Kal just looked toward the statues in the center of the room, towering over everything else. Kara looked at them too, and realized who they were.

 

Kara looked at her cousin and saw the raw longing in his expression; he’d never gotten to know them. He’d never got to know his culture, his home. While he’d found a wonderful place to live, he still had all the what-if’s, all the might-have-been’s and Kara realized that it was her fault. She was supposed to have been here, she was supposed to teach him all of the things that he’d never gotten to know. Kara felt her frustration slip away, to be replaced by guilt.

 

“Alright,” she said to Kal with a soft smile, “I’ll be the tour guide. You just make sure we don’t get lost.”

 

Kal broke out with the biggest grin she’d ever seen and he called to his friends, “Come on, Kara’s going to tell us what all my stuff does.”

 

Kara took a moment to gather her nerves and set to describing all she knew about all he had collected.


	6. Between Icebergs and Islands

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara tours the Fortress and makes a decision regarding her future.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posted February 27, 2017

“…and that kind was banned because they explode sometimes, but the other two were banned because they’re too much of a power draw.” Kara said gesturing to the various types of lighting in Kal’s displays. “Actually, how do you power this place?”

“Solar power,” he answered absentmindedly, looking nervously at the displays. “What do you mean they ‘explode’?”

“Well, they’re hydrogen based, so when they breaks they goes boom. What’s ‘solar powered’ mean?” Kara replied.

“Solar panels up by the roof and this battery thing that came with the ship. Should I be worried about explosions?” Kal asked, focusing on entirely the wrong subject.

“Those only break when you drop them. Now show me this roof.” Kara demanded.

“Um, okay,” Kal shrugged floating upward, “but you have to tell me if you see anything else dangerous!”

“You are _invulnerable_.” Batman called after them, following on the stairs. “Very few things are a danger to you.”

“That doesn’t mean I want dangerous things in my house!” Kal argued down at him. “We don’t all keep WMDs in our basements!”

“I keep mine in the attic.” Diana chimed in with such an exaggerated air of innocence Kara knew she had to be joking.

Diana offered her arm to Kara, but Kara drifted upwards unaided, though a little unevenly.

“Nuclear power is not dangerous with the proper precautions.” Batman replied patiently.

It seemed like they’d had this discussion before, but before Kara could ask they arrived at a large open space under a clear roof. She floated over the shiny black floor and looked for some kind of generator.

“The sun gets in through the roof and this way I don’t have to worry about the weather.” Kal explained as she hovered there confused.

“But what makes the power?” Kara asked.

“Well, these,” he gestured to the floor.

Kara looked closer at the ground and then looked through it. She saw wires and it clicked.

“The sun shines on the stone and makes electricity.” Kara whispered in awe. “If Krypton could have had this…” Her words trailed off as she hovered, imagining a better world.

Tears prickled her eyes and she was suddenly hyperaware of the three adults in the room. Willing away the sadness she took a deep, shaky breath and squared her shoulders. “So did you make these?” she asked with false cheer.

Kal hesitated before proceeding, looking to Batman for guidance, only answering after a small, almost imperceptible nod.

“Well I put it all together, but I ordered the panels and stuff online. Pa helped a bit with picking them out, he and Ma converted the farm years ago…” Kal stopped here and his eyes when wide. “You haven’t met my parents yet! My earth parents! Ma and Pa! They adopted me!”

Batman interrupted the increasingly incoherent exclamations, “I thought it best if she would gain some mastery over her powers before introducing her to civilians.”

Kal looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “My parents raised me! They can handle Kryptonian powers! Where’d you plan to keep her, Gotham?”

“The Amazons also have experience with super powered teenage girls. And there she would not need to worry about accidentally giving away both of your secret identities.” Batman said reasonably.

“She can’t go to Themyscira! She just got here!” Kal replied, ignoring all of Batman’s points.

“What’s Themyscira?” Kara asked.

“My home, and the land of the Amazons,” Diana answered. “It’s an island group; you’d be staying on the main one, Paradise Island.”

“What’s an Amazon?” Kara was beginning to think this planet did something to people’s ability to give complete explanations.

“We are a society of warrior women.” Diana said patiently. “Paradise Island has no men, is in a tropical climate, and you would learn how to use a sword.”

Kara looked at her skeptically. “What are my other options?”

“You could go with him,” she said pointing to Kal as he waved his arms about making some incoherent point, “or him,” she pointed to Batman standing stoically and glaring, “or you can come with me.”

Kara thought it over for less than a second. “I’m going to Themyscira,” she shouted to Kal.

“No you’re not!” He shouted back.

Kara crossed her arms. “We would still be able to visit, right?” she asked.

Diana nodded, “We have a few lesser island and men are allowed on some of them.”

Kara looked at her cousin and Batman and caught the latter’s eye. “I’ll just explain it to him later.”

Batman nodded and Kal continued ranting, oblivious to their departure.

 

Kara flew on her own this time, and only dropped out of the sky once. Diana caught her quickly though, so it almost didn’t count. Along the way Diana told Kara more about Themyscira and the Amazons.

“All Amazons have powers, being blessed by the gods, but few leave the island. There are two ways of becoming an Amazon, by birth and by achievement. Achieving Amazonian status takes about two hundred years. You would technically be in the early stages of this.”

“Two hundred years!” Kara repeated in awe, though unsure if an Earth year was the same as a Kryptonian year.

“You don’t have to commit to anything for the first few decades, but you do have to follow our laws while you are on the island and train daily.” Diana spent most of the trip reassuring Kara that nobody would expect her to stay on the island forever, and that any Amazon may seek permission to explore Man’s World, even after they had committed to the island.

Kara spent most of the trip trying to wrap her mind around the concept of immortality. Though not technically immortal, the Amazons seemed to come pretty close. Nearly invulnerable, incredibly long lifespan, and possessing of superpowers. The more Diana spoke the more Kara began to relate.

“Are we there yet?” Kara asked as they flew around a storm.

“Actually, yes,” Diana said as a breathtaking island rose out of the clouds to greet them. “This is Paradise Island.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara comes to Paradise Island and meets the Amazons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated March 27, 2017

As they flew closer, Kara saw mountains, trees, and beautiful open-air public buildings that gleamed in the sun. People in the streets waved up and them and called out greetings to Diana, and she waved back and greeted them by name.

 

As they flew toward a large building near the center of the main city, Kara craned her neck to try to take in all of the island’s exciting new sights. Diana landed gracefully on the top of a marble staircase before tall carved columns. Kara managed to not crash and she considered that a win.

 

After regaining her balance, Kara looked up to see two of tall women coming towards them. Diana greeted a woman wearing a flowing purple dress and a golden cape and matching circlet. She smiled at Diana and held her arms open for a hug. Diana paused to catch an arrow from the air then walked towards the lady.

 

“It’s so good to see you daughter,” the woman said as she hugged Diana.

 

“And you mother,” Dana replied with a grin. “But I believe Artemis dropped one of her arrows.”

 

“I’m always ‘dropping’ things,” said the armored woman with a laugh, “and you haven’t missed one yet.”

 

“Kara this is my mother, Hippolyta, and Artemis,” Diana said, gesturing to them in turn. “Mother, Artemis, this is Kara. She has powers and needs training.”

 

“It’s nice to meet you.” Kara said, waving awkwardly. She felt like she needed to bow or curtsy or swear fidelity or something.

 

“How much training do you have and what powers have you developed?” Artemis demanded.

 

“It’s … complicated.” Kara looked to Diana for help.

 

“Kara is kryptonian,” Diana explained. “Like Superman.”

 

“Oh,” said Hippolyta, with a somewhat startled expression. Artemis just snorted disapprovingly.

 

Kara’s jaw dropped, “Has he annoyed everyone?”

 

Artemis doubled over in laughing, while Hippolyta and Diana pretended not to notice.

 

“Complicated training?” Hippolyta changed the subject.

 

“Yeah,” Kara shrugged. “I can get out of trouble, but I learned that mostly by getting into a lot of trouble and not dying.”

 

Diana raised her eyebrows and her gaze darted to Artemis before looking back at her mother. “I believe Philippus could teach her,” she suggested.

 

“Yes,” Hippolyta answered thoughtfully, “she does have experience with that kind of learner.”

 

Diana started at that and opened her mouth to disagree. Then thought better of it, and instead said, “Perhaps I should go find her and ask.”

 

Artemis, who has just recovered from her first bout of laughter, began laughing again.

 

 

It was almost a half an hour later when Diana returned for Kara, who had begun to explore the building she was left near. The library was built like an inverse screw, with a great open hole in the center and the books in a single cork-screw like room that wound upwards until it was stacked up on itself four or five times. Kara was in the history section, the least inhabited place in the building.

 

Kara was trying to figure out how to hover steadily and to fly without knocking anything over. This is much easier to do when the obstacles are bookshelves, tables, and very comfortable chairs. If, however, there is suddenly a person standing where nothing has been the last dozen times you have run the course, they are probably going to get bumped.

 

Kara bounced off of the intruder and landed in a very undignified manner. The sound of the resulting thud echoed through library and several patrons turned to see what the commotion was. Seeing only the weird girl who has been flying in circle for a while now, most left it alone. However Diana, who had been searching the building in a faintly panicked state, was relieved and a bit concerned.

 

“Good you found her,” Diana said to the muscular woman in armor. “Kara this is Philippus, she’s the captain of guard and will be overseeing you training.”

 

Kara stared wide-eyed at Philippus, her shining golden armor, its sleeveless design showing off her rippling muscles, and the polished sword hanging at her side, “Okay.” She said in a small voice.

 

“Excellent,” Philippus said with a friendly smile. “Are you ready to begin?”

 

“Okay,” Kara repeated.

 

Philippus lead them across the island, though it was a short trip and questioned Kara on what knowledge she already had.

 

“I can do some staff fighting, I know how to fight multiple opponents, I know some lock picking, and I can get myself out of a riot,” Kara listed.

 

“Can you fight with multiple allies? Can you get another person out of a riot? Do you have any medical training?” Philippus noted every skill Kara said she had and countered, trying to find her limits.

 

What she found was that Kara knew how to get out and knew absolutely nothing about anyone she’d left behind. The girl was sorely lacking in any kind of tactical training and appeared ready to latch on to anyone who showed her kindness. Philippus made a mental note to have a talk with Diana, and then they arrived at the training grounds.

 

“Over there are the sparring courts, you can see some of the students practicing. The building behind them is where the weapons are stored; you’ll be assigned your own practice equipment.” Philippus gestured to each in turn, and Kara craned her neck to try and take it all in. “The buildings over there are where you will be staying. Unless you have other accommodations?” Philippus suggested with a raised eyebrow

 

Diana cleared her throat, “Kara is new to the planet, I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

 

They walked over to what was to be Kara’s new home for the time being and Kara felt a rising panic at the thought. Krypton was her home and had been for all of her life, how could she find a new one so quickly? Could she ever find a new home at all? She stared at the two women walking before her. They had been here, Philippus since before the island was founded and Diana for her whole life. It was almost a tangible thing, how they simply belonged. In the library, in the training ground, the entire walk around the island, they strode confidently, as if the space they occupied had been theirs for time beyond measure. Kara wondered if there would be a time when she could walk like that.


End file.
